Department of Post-War Reconstruction (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The Department of Post-War Reconstruction was an Australian Government department
responsible for planning and coordinating Australia's
transition to a peacetime economy after World War II
. The department was established in 1942 and dissolved in 1950.
with the goal of achieving and maintaining full employment
. This reflected the Australian Labor Party
government's strong desire to ensure that Australians' well being was greater after the war than it had been before it, as well as to avoid a repetition of the poor conditions with which many returned Australian soldiers from World War I
lived. Ben Chifley
was appointed the first Minister for Post-War Reconstruction as well as continuing to serve as the Treasurer
and H. C. 'Nugget' Coombs
became the Department's first Director-General on 15 January 1943.
The Department was initially given a wide range of responsibilities. These included overseeing the Government's commitment to full employment, introducing new social welfare payments, establishing the Commonwealth Employment Service
, working with the state governments to provide housing and hospitals and providing financial support to state universities. The Department also drew up the initial plans for the demobilisation of the Australian Military
after the war, and these were approved by Cabinet
in June 1944. The Department's responsibilities changed over time as they were handed to other agencies after being established or were completed.
Unlike other departments created during the war, the Department of Post-War Reconstruction did not build up a large staff, but generally sought to use and coordinate the work of other agencies. Most of the Department's employees were young economist
s who had been conscripted
into the Australian Public Service
during World War II. John Dedman
replaced Chifley as the Minister for Post-War Reconstruction in February 1945 and L.F. Crisp
became Director-General in 1949 after Coombs was appointed Governor of the Commonwealth Bank.
The Department of Post-War Reconstruction was dissolved on 16 March 1950 following the election of a conservative Liberal Party
government in December 1949. Its functions were transferred to other departments, with the Division of Economic Policy moving briefly to the Department of the Prime Minister
before being abolished and other divisions being transferred to the newly established Department of National Development.
Ministry (government department)
A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a minister or a senior public servant, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or...
responsible for planning and coordinating Australia's
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
transition to a peacetime economy after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The department was established in 1942 and dissolved in 1950.
History
The Department of Post-War Reconstruction was established on 22 December 1942 by moving functions from the Department of Labour and National Service. Its role was to plan and coordinate Australia's transition from a war economyWar economy
War economy is the term used to describe the contingencies undertaken by the modern state to mobilise its economy for war production. Philippe Le Billon describes a war economy as a "system of producing, mobilising and allocating resources to sustain the violence".Many states increase the degree of...
with the goal of achieving and maintaining full employment
Full employment
In macroeconomics, full employment is a condition of the national economy, where all or nearly all persons willing and able to work at the prevailing wages and working conditions are able to do so....
. This reflected the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
government's strong desire to ensure that Australians' well being was greater after the war than it had been before it, as well as to avoid a repetition of the poor conditions with which many returned Australian soldiers from World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
lived. Ben Chifley
Ben Chifley
Joseph Benedict Chifley , Australian politician, was the 16th Prime Minister of Australia. He took over the Australian Labor Party leadership and Prime Ministership after the death of John Curtin in 1945, and went on to retain government at the 1946 election, before being defeated at the 1949...
was appointed the first Minister for Post-War Reconstruction as well as continuing to serve as the Treasurer
Treasurer of Australia
The Treasurer of Australia is the minister in the Government of Australia responsible for government expenditure and revenue raising. He is the head of the Department of the Treasury. The Treasurer plays a key role in the economic policy of the government...
and H. C. 'Nugget' Coombs
H. C. Coombs
Herbert Cole H.C. "Nugget" Coombs was an Australian economist and public servant.-Early years:Coombs was born in Kalamunda, Western Australia, Australia, one of six children of a country railway station-master and a well-read mother.Coombs's political and economic views were formed by the Great...
became the Department's first Director-General on 15 January 1943.
The Department was initially given a wide range of responsibilities. These included overseeing the Government's commitment to full employment, introducing new social welfare payments, establishing the Commonwealth Employment Service
Commonwealth Employment Service
The Commonwealth Employment Service was an Australian Government employment agency established in 1946 with the introduction of the Re-establishment and Employment Act 1945 and continued to exist under the provisions of the Commonwealth Employment Service Act 1978.-History in the last 1990...
, working with the state governments to provide housing and hospitals and providing financial support to state universities. The Department also drew up the initial plans for the demobilisation of the Australian Military
Demobilisation of the Australian military after World War II
The demobilisation of the Australian military after World War II involved discharging almost 600,000 men and women from the military, supporting their transition to civilian life and reducing the three armed services to peacetime strengths...
after the war, and these were approved by Cabinet
Cabinet of Australia
The Cabinet of Australia is the council of senior ministers of the Crown, responsible to parliament. The Cabinet is appointed by the Governor-General, on the advice of the Prime Minister the Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, and serves at the former's pleasure. The strictly private...
in June 1944. The Department's responsibilities changed over time as they were handed to other agencies after being established or were completed.
Unlike other departments created during the war, the Department of Post-War Reconstruction did not build up a large staff, but generally sought to use and coordinate the work of other agencies. Most of the Department's employees were young economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
s who had been conscripted
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
into the Australian Public Service
Australian Public Service
The Australian Public Service is the Australian federal civil service, the group of people employed by federal departments, agencies and courts under the Government of Australia, to administer the working of the public administration of the Commonwealth of Australia...
during World War II. John Dedman
John Dedman
John Dedman was a Minister in the Australian Labor Party governments led by John Curtin and Ben Chifley. He was responsible for organising production during World War II, establishing the Australian National University, reorganising the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation ...
replaced Chifley as the Minister for Post-War Reconstruction in February 1945 and L.F. Crisp
Finlay Crisp
Leslie Finlay "Fin" Crisp was an Australian academic and political scientist."Fin" Crisp was born in Sandringham, Victoria. Educated at Black Rock State School, Caulfield Grammar School and St Peter's College, Adelaide, where he graduated in 1934, Crisp earned a Bachelor of Arts in political...
became Director-General in 1949 after Coombs was appointed Governor of the Commonwealth Bank.
The Department of Post-War Reconstruction was dissolved on 16 March 1950 following the election of a conservative Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
government in December 1949. Its functions were transferred to other departments, with the Division of Economic Policy moving briefly to the Department of the Prime Minister
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia)
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is an Australian Government department. The Department was first established in 1911...
before being abolished and other divisions being transferred to the newly established Department of National Development.